Automatic water attachment for fuel and heating oil burners



1956 c. E. M. PERKINS 36,370

AUTOMATIC WATER ATTACHMENT FOR FUEL AND HEATING OIL BURNERS Filed Ma 27. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 )NVENTOR C eci) E. M. PerKinS Attorney 1956 c. E. M. PERKINS AUTOMATIC WATER ATTACHMENT FOR FUEL AND HEATING OIL BURNERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27. 1952 m llmn l I I I Om mm 9 INVENTOR .M. PerhLns Attornev United States Patent AUTOMATIC WATER ATTACHIVIENT FOR FUEL AND HEATING OIL BURNERS Cecil Elmo Mackly Perkins, South Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada Application May 27, 1952, Serial No. 290,230 3 Claims. (Cl. 158-74) This invention relates to oil burners and more particularly to oil burners which consume water as one of the materials of combustion.

One object of the invention is the provision of novel means for adding water to the usual fuel and air mixture of oil burners.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a self regulating water evaporator for oil burners, which evaporator automatically operates to lessen the formation of flame carbon by facilitating complete atomization of the fuel.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a self regulating water evaporator for oil burners, which evaporator automatically operates to lessen the occurrence of toxic gases and dangerous fires.

One more object of the invention is the provision of a water evaporator for oil burners, which evaporator is self-regulating in action and automatically operates to introduce water as one of the materials of combustion thereby increasing the efliciency of the burner.

With these and other objects in view that may appear as the description proceeds the invention consists in the novel arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a partly diagrammatic and partly sectional elevational view of one embodiment of the invention showing a water evaporator positioned in the gun of an oil burner and in regulated communication with a supply .of water;

.of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged, partly diagrammatic and elevational view, mainly in section, of the embodiment of Figure 1, illustrating the action of the evaporator and one type of water regulator.

Referring more in detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that the invention includes a watertrough open at the top and closed at both ends and which is mounted within the gun 11 of an oil burner and adjacent the usual converging outlet 12 therefrom. The gun 11 is secured to any convenient structure, e. g.the pedestal 13. The trough 110 may be of any suitable cross-section but, in the form shown, is formed in approximately equal width and depth, being flared outwardly towards the open top, and is disposed transversely of the gun 11.

Secured within the gun 11 and rearwardly of the said trough is an inclined member 14 which, in the form shown, is a plate. The member 14 is arranged so that the higher end thereof is adjacent the top of the trough 10 and its lower end is in communication with the rotor 15 of the usual air blower 16. The member or plate 14 operates to deflect air currents, depicted by arrows, over the top of the trough 10 creating a partial vacuum thereabove, the degree of which is dependent upon the velocity of the molecules of the passing air. The blowers 16 are illustrated as being of the well known snail type but it is obvious that other forms of blowers are usable. Additionally, in pot type burners employing natural draft, the passage of air currents into the combustion chamber will create a varying degree of vacuum over a trough positioned in the line of the draft thereby providing the water in the required proportion.

The trough 10 is connected, by a suitably terminated conduit 17 of any convenient length and disposition suitable to the particular installation, to a regulator or valve 18 mounted externally of the gun 11, the said regulator being in turn coupled by a conduit 19 to a source of water under pressure. Water is fed to the trough 10 by gravity, the regulator 18 being positioned so that the said trough is maintained nearly full.

The regulator 18 may be of any convenient and suitable cross-section but, as shown, comprises a hollow body portion 20 closed at the bottom and provided with a detachably secured cover 21. The inner chamber 22 of the said body portion is provided with an inlet passage 23 in communication with the conduit 19, and an outlet passage 24 in connection with the conduit 17. The regulator 18 is adapted by a plurality of studs 25 to be secured to any convenient structure 26, a bracket 27 being provided for the purpose. The bracket 27 is formed with vertically disposed longitudinal slot 28, which is engaged by the studs 25, for adjusting the height of the said regulator relative to the top of the trough 10.

Disposed within the body portion 20 of the regulator 18 is a pivotally mounted lever 29 having a suitable terminal float 30. A valve element 31, which, in the form shown, is a needle, is adjustably secured to the opposite end of the lever 29 and is disposed within the regulator 18 so as to act as a closure for the inlet passage 23. One form of adjustably securing the valve element 31 to the lever 29 is illustrated and comprises a plurality of nuts 32 positioned at a distance apart on the exteriorly threaded top portion of the said valve element, the said top portion of the said valve element being in loose connection with the lever 29. It is obvious with the arrangement shown that the water cannot overflow the trough 10 and that no flooding of the gun 11 will occur when the gun is idle.

In operation, air propelled through the gun 11 by the rotor 15 of the blower 16 is deflected, by the inclined member 14, over the top of the trough 10, creating a partial vacuum over the said trough to an extent proportional to the velocity of the moving air particles. The rate at which the water is evaporated is thereby varied in accordance with the degree of vacuum over the mouth of the said trough. The water in the trough is, of course, also subject to the heat of combustion and thereby is caused to boil thus further accelerating the rate of evaporation during combustion periods to meet the requirements of the burner.

Fuel is drawn into the gun 11 in usual manner by the force of air propelled therealong, with a force and velocity such that it is thoroughly disintegrated and mixed with the water and with the air that carries the entire mass from the gun into the combustion chamber.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides not only novel means of adding water to the oil and air mixture, but also automatically is operable to provide for a mixture of oil, air and water in the proportions required for most eflicient combustion and heat conversion, and further provides for lessening the formation of flame carbon and toxic gases and the incidence of disastrous fires.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structure shown may be apparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings without further detailed description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of cooperating parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An air duct of a gun type oil burner comprising a tubular shell having a reduced discharge end, a blower connected to the other end of said shell for directing a current of air through the shell, a trough extending transversely of said shell adjacent the discharge end adapted to receive water, a plate extending longitudinally of said shell and inclined downwardly from the upper edge of said trough in the direction towards said blower.

2. A device of the character described in claim 1 including means for supplying water to said trough and means for controlling the level of the Water in said trough.

3. An air duct of a gun type oil burner comprising a tubular shell having a reduced discharge end, a blower connected to the other end of said shell for directing a current of air through the shell, a trough extending transversely of said shell in the lower portion thereof adjacent the discharge end, said trough being open at the top, an air deflector plate extending longitudinally of said shell and inclined downwardly from the upper edge of said trough in the direction towards said blower with its lower end in contact with the wall of said shell, and means for supplying water to said trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 829,707 Fries Aug. 28, 1906 1,042,055 Theisen Oct. 22, 1912 1,486,522 Inman Mar. 11, 1924 1,601,242 Ennis Sept. 28, 1926 1,667,122 Kilgus Apr. 29, 1928 1,848,409 Biggins Mar. 8, 1932 2,124,169 Sheafe July 19, 1938 2,482,215 Russell Sept. 20, .1949 

